Unscrupulous builders use extended weekends to raise illegal buildings – at times up to ten floors

Assistant Municipal Commissioner, who looked the other way (using the fig leaf – it all happened on holidays) faces suspension

Holiday construction’ – not many builders in Mumbai, one can be sure, will be aware of this term. But in Dongri, where 13 people died in a building crash on Tuesday, it is central to the business.

Vivek Rahi, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, B ward, is now facing suspension for allowing ‘holiday construction’ -- which is nothing but unscrupulous builders using extended weekends to raise illegal structures as high as 10 floors without any permissions. Sometimes, illegal floors – up to five to six – are added to an existing building when BMC is on a holiday.

Rahi’s suspension will be the first instance of a senior officer facing action for turning a blind eye to illegal constructions.

A vigilance report submitted to Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi on Wednesday said ‘holiday construction’ is one of the main reasons why Dongri is a hub of illegal constructions.

While BMC officers have over the years used the excuse of their offices being shut when these constructions took place, the vigilance department is of the view such illegal activities cannot take place without the concerned officers’ knowledge.

A senior civic officer, who did not wish to be identified, said around 10 to 12 such cases were pin pointed in the vigilance report to the municipal commissioner.

Along with Rahi, Pardeshi is also likely to take stern action against designated officers of the B Ward who are specifically tasked with taking action against unauthorised constructions. With a population of 1.28 lakh packed into just 2.84 sq km, B ward is Mumbai’s most densely populated ward.

A former corporator from the B Ward said that in the recent past 10 to 18 floor towers have been built without any permission from the BMC. The quality of construction is extremely poor because of the short time taken to raise them. The land mafia sells them at rates much below the market prices. “In just a few weeks, towers are erected. They are all load bearing structures with no foundation. Only steel girders and slabs,” the former corporator said.

The vigilance report has also noted that just a few meters away from the collapsed building, illegal construction are currently being carried out at localities like Nishanpada Cross Lane, Memonwada, Bhat Bazaar, Narayan Duruv Marg, and Chavalwali Galli.

Apart from corruption, ward officials are also afraid of taking action because of threat of violence. In 1996, several B ward officials were attacked by a large mob while conducting a demolition drive at Bhendi Bazar.